Wake Up Call
by laoisbabe
Summary: Jack becomes the object of a womans fixation. When the obsession intensifies, he finds himself in danger. Eventual Jack/Sam.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Special Agent Jack Malone strolled leisurely through the aisles of his local market. It was a Friday evening and, for a change, he had managed to get away from the office at an acceptable hour. Knowing that his cupboards at home were practically bare, he decided to stop at the supermarket to re-stock some of the basics. Predictably, his cart so far contained frozen pizza, bread, a couple of meat patties, canned goods and a six pack of beer. He was staring mindlessly at the shelf of cereal boxes when a female voice broke his concentration.

"Special Agent Malone?"

Jack turned and saw a well-groomed, middle-aged woman at his side. She looked familiar to him but he struggled to recall from where he knew her. He smiled an uncomfortable smile and she could see that he didn't remember her, so she put him out of his misery.

"Janet Danson," she said with a kind smile. "We met a few months back."

"Of course! I'm sorry. I didn't recognise you," Jack said apologetically, her name jogging his memory.

She had been the victim in one of their missing persons cases. He recalled how she had been reported missing after she had failed to turn up for work a few days in a row. She was a dedicated nurse and it had been very out of character for her to miss work, especially without calling. Her colleagues were rightly worried and reported her missing. As he recalled, she had developed an unhealthy obsession with one of the hospital's consultants. She had invented a relationship in her mind with this man, but unfortunately, he had been oblivious to her attentions.

She had gone missing the same day that he announced to his friends at work that he had become engaged to a New York socialite. Essentially, Janet Danson had a psychotic break and it had been Jack himself who had eventually found her shivering and confused in a jogging park across from where the consultant, her imaginary beau, lived. He remembered putting his jacket around her and keeping her talking until the paramedics had arrived. During that time she rambled endlessly, talking gibberish most of the time. When the paramedics tried to get her into the ambulance, she refused to go with them. Once Jack offered to escort her, she calmed down and co-operated. How could he have forgotten her? Then again, the person standing in front of him looked like a completely different person than she did back then.

When he accompanied her to the hospital, she looked like a vagrant, having spent over three days living rough. Now she stood there, smartly dressed, impeccably made up and sporting a shorter, trendier hairstyle. You would never think she was the same person, let alone mentally ill.

"That's okay," she said maintaining her smile. "I was a bit of a mess the last time we met," she reminded him. Jack smiled in acknowledgement.

"How are you?" he asked, wondering when she had been released from hospital. The last he heard she was in the Psyche Ward at Belleview.

"I'm good, doing much better," she told him.

Jack nodded, feeling the awkwardness of the situation.

"I never thanked you ….for….you know," Janet said blushing, slightly embarrassed.

"There's no need. I was just doing my job," Jack replied, downplaying his role in finding her and probably saving her life.

"No, what you did was far beyond the line of duty. You were so kind to me. It meant a lot," Janet insisted. "Maybe I could buy you a cup of coffee?"

Jack looked at his watch uneasily. He didn't much feel like reminiscing. It had been a long week and he just wanted to go home, kick his shoes off and crack open a couple of beers.

"I'm beat," Jack told her honestly. "Thanks, but maybe another time?"

Janet's smile never faltered. She nodded in comprehension.

"Sure, another time."

"I've really got to go. Nice seeing you again," Jack said, putting his hands back onto the shopping cart and moving on.

"Good night, Agent Malone," Janet said, walking away in the opposite direction.

Jack turned back and watched her walk to the cashier. How odd, he thought, as he chose a box of cereal; he was sure Janet lived way uptown.

_Why would she be shopping down here?_

He finished his shopping and checked out at the cashier. He then carried his two bags of groceries the one block to his building. Taking the elevator, he was soon turning the key in his second floor apartment.

Glad to be home, he threw his keys on the kitchen countertop and dropped the grocery bags on the table. He took off his jacket and tie and removed his weapon holster before unpacking the bags of groceries. He cracked open a warm beer and put the rest into the refrigerator. Then he popped a frozen pizza in the oven. Once all the groceries were put away, he turned on his TV and settled in for a quiet night in front of the box.

The next morning Jack slept in for the first time in weeks. It was Saturday and he hoped more than anything that his team wouldn't be called in to work today. They were the team on call this weekend, so if something did come up, he knew his weekend would be over before it even started. It was 11am before Jack finally decided to crawl out of bed. He showered and was only out of the shower with the towel around his waist when his cell phone rang.

_Ah, seriously?_

"Yeah, Malone," he answered sounding grouchy.

"Good morning, Jack. Have you had breakfast yet?" Samantha asked, sounding chipper. Jack was relieved to hear her sultry tones as he had presumed that the call was from the office.

"Oh, good morning, Sam," Jack said, cheering up. "Nope, haven't had breakfast yet."

"Good. I'm in the neighbourhood and have a hankering for Gino's waffles," she said with gusto.

"Sounds great. Meet you there in twenty minutes," Jack said just as enthusiastically.

He towelled his hair dry and dressed casually in a pair of jeans, white t-shirt and leather jacket. He was delighted that Sam had called. Weekends tended to be lonely when he wasn't working. At least Maria had the girls to keep her company. He really missed them, especially on days like these. Before the divorce, such free days were always spent with his two little princesses. He hated that he was deprived of such precious moments. Samantha often called on their days off and they'd meet up for a drink or dinner, but he sensed that she was just taking pity on him. They were no longer lovers, just work colleagues. He often wondered 'what if'. What if he hadn't screwed it up with her? What if he had been brave enough to give it a chance and see where it led? Too many regrets - he hated regrets.

Jack grabbed his wallet, cell phone, keys and his jacket and hurried down the stairs and out onto the street. Gino's was only four blocks away and he didn't like to keep Sam waiting. It was a mild spring morning and he felt rested and full of energy. He didn't often get time to relax but appreciated the freedom when he could. When he reached Gino's, Sam was already there. He gave her a friendly peck on the cheek before sitting down. Gino's was a small, diner style restaurant that had been on that same corner for over thirty years. They served everything you could possibly imagine for breakfast, but their waffles were renowned citywide.

"Thank goodness. I'm starving," Sam said, as Jack took the seat opposite her.

"Me too," Jack replied, picking up the menu.

The waitress was over quickly and they both ordered coffee, Jack ordered the French toast while Sam ordered the waffles she wanted so badly. They chatted and joked until their food arrived. As usual, they were very relaxed in each other's company.

Unknown to them, however, they were being observed. She stood across the street, staring at the pair and the cheerful scenes taking place. How could he do this to her? They had a connection, he cared for her. He had been so kind to her. What was he doing having breakfast with that blonde bimbo? Her mind raced and twisted with thoughts of betrayal. She rationalised what Jack was doing, blamed herself for not being there for him and vowed to ensure that didn't happen again.

Meanwhile, Jack and Samantha finished breakfast oblivious to their audience. As they discussed their plans for the rest of the day, Jack's cell phone rang. He looked at the caller display and cursed. As he answered, Samantha's phone rang also.

"I guess that's the end of our weekend," Jack quipped, his disappointment evident. "I'll see you back at the office."

Jack stood up, left the money to cover the bill on the table and answered the phone as he did so. He hurried back to his apartment to get changed. It wasn't long before he was suitably attired and on his way to F.B.I. Plaza. The whole team gathered in the bullpen for a case briefing. Their missing person was Ahmed Hassan, a taxi driver from Queens. His cab had been found on waste ground beneath the overpass by NYPD. His wife and son hadn't seen him in 36 hours. Jack and Martin planned to talk to the family while Danny and Sam headed to the scene around the cab and waste ground and then over to the cab company. Vivian would run down personal history, telephone calls, incident reports, etc.

As Jack and Martin drove out of the parking structure, Jack unexpectedly twisted in his seat and turned around to look behind him.

"What is it?" Martin asked, surprised by his actions.

"I thought I saw someone I ….. never mind," Jack said, turning back around and shaking his head.

_I must be imagining it._

Martin glanced at him curiously, raising his eyebrows slightly, before returning his attention to the road. They continued on to the victim's home. They interviewed his wife about their marriage, debts and life prior to coming to the U.S. from Yemen. From what they could tell, there was nothing pointing to a motive or reason for his disappearance.

They returned to the office and spent the evening working on the case. By 11.30pm Jack told the team to go home and get some rest, knowing that they would get further if his team were fresh. As Jack walked to his apartment, he had an uncomfortable, uneasy feeling. There were very few people out walking at that hour of the night. He stopped and looked around a few times, sensing that he was being watched. He tried to convince himself that he was being paranoid. He reached his building without incident and entered his apartment. He made sure to lock and bolt his door that night as his unease remained.

_**A/N - thats it for Chapter 1. Reviews always appreciated.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N - just to point out that the writing in italics refer to Jacks thoughts._**

Chapter 2

The uneasy feeling remained with Jack all night. As a result, his sleep was disturbed and restless. He jerked awake in the early hours of the morning, woken by a furious banging on the door of his apartment. He wearily got out of bed and hurried to the door, not wanting the neighbours to complain.

"All right, I'm coming," he shouted irritably. He checked through the spy hole and was puzzled to see Janet Danson standing outside. Her eyes were red and tear-filled, and Jack instantly presumed that she was in trouble and needed his help.

Without hesitation, he unbolted his door and opened it. What happened next completely stunned him. She immediately moved her right hand, which had been hanging by her thigh, to stomach level, the movement automatically drawing Jack's attention to it. That's when he noticed the small calibre weapon in her hand. It looked like a .38, but he couldn't be sure. He was more concerned about what she had planned to do with it. Confounded, he raised his eyes to meet hers.

"What are you doing, Janet?" he asked, cursing his stupidity for opening the door.

"I'm coming in," she replied, her demeanour quite threatening, her face unemotional. "Step back!"

Jack did as she said, taking two steps back and raising his hands in front of him in surrender. Standing there in his t-shirt and boxers, he felt tremendously vulnerable.

"Don't try anything stupid, Agent Malone. I'm not afraid to use this," she said. Looking directly into her eyes, Jack had no doubt that she meant it.

"Okay, Janet. Take it easy, okay. I'm not going to try anything," Jack said, taking another step back.

"Sit down," she ordered, glancing quickly around the living room.

Jack walked backwards to his sofa, not once taking his eyes off Janet. He sat down as ordered.

"You have a nice place, Agent Malone," Janet commented, as she checked out the kitchen.

"Janet, why are you doing this?" Jack asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

She looked at him, her eyes portraying her hurt.

"You said we'd have coffee. Why did you lie to me?" she asked, shifting nervously from one foot to the other, all the while her weapon trained on Jack.

"I didn't lie to you, Janet," Jack replied, swallowing hard. "We can still have coffee."

"Yes you did!" she spat. "I saw you with that blonde tart. You had no intention of calling me," she said with venom, waving the gun dangerously.

Jack couldn't help but flinch. In the interests of self-preservation, he decided it was best not to respond to her accusation. He watched as she wandered around behind where he sat. He felt her hand on his shoulder before she ran it up his neck and into his hair. A chill ran down his spine.

"We're going to be together……..Jack," Janet said, calling him by his given name for the first time. "I won't let you do what Mark did to me," she said, referring to her doctor friend.

Upon hearing this, Jack started to realise just how much trouble he was in. Janet was obviously teetering on the precipice between fantasy and reality. Her instability signalled incalculable danger for Jack. He knew he had to keep her calm and at all costs not antagonise her.

He could hear her moving behind him again. It sounded like she was searching for something in her handbag. Then she calmly walked back in front of him, smiling as if nothing was wrong. Slowly and seductively, she approached his apprehensive form. He kept his eyes on the .38 she was holding as she neared him. She put one hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into the sofa and then straddled his legs.

"Relax," she whispered, leaning towards him and stroking his face. Jack swallowed hard once more. If he was going to fight her off, this was the time to do it. He just needed to wait for her to move the gun away from his chest. However, before he had a chance to act, he was startled by a pinprick in the side of his neck.

Instinctively, his hands came up and grabbed her left hand, which contained an empty syringe. As he did, he felt the barrel of the gun press hard against his ribs.

"What did you give me?" Jack demanded, as his breathing quickening and his heart raced. His fear grew steadily.

"Just something to help you relax, Jack," she said, before pressing her lips against his. He tried to turn his face away but the gun in his ribs provided an incentive not to. He blinked deliberately, squeezing his eyes tightly shut several times in succession, as his vision began to distort. The room was starting to spin. Damn it, he thought.

His eyelids were starting to feel heavy and he knew he wouldn't be able to fight the chemicals invading his system for much longer.

"Janet," he slurred. "Janet, don't do this," he pleaded, trying to reason with the disturbed woman.

His eyes focused on her face momentarily before the curtains descended on his consciousness.

Knowing that he would be asleep for a few hours, Janet made some calls, putting the final touches to her plan. Then she made herself at home, brewed coffee, made a sandwich and sat beside the still unconscious agent and watched TV. She snuggled comfortably up to him. Laying her head on his shoulder, she talked excitedly to him about their upcoming trip.

It was about two hours later before Jack started to come around. His head was pounding and he felt as though he was suffering from an unmerciful hangover. He tried to remember where he had been drinking that night. Then he became aware of another person on the sofa.

_Did I get lucky?_

Janet noticed that Jack's eyes were open. She leaned across and kissed him on the lips and it suddenly came back to him.

_Oh__, God! She's still here. What does she want?_

She started to talk to him enthusiastically about the trip she had planned for them.

"You'll love it. You work way too hard, you know, and it will do you good to get away for a while. It's so peaceful up there, just what we need. It will be so romantic," she mused.

_Romantic?_

Jack's instinct was to try and get up away from this mad woman, but his limbs would not respond to his mind's intentions. He remembered that she had injected him with something. Whatever it was, it was powerful stuff. He wondered how long it would be before it would wear off.

"I've already packed you some things and put your bag in my car. If we leave now, we can be there in a couple of hours," she told him casually. "You can call work in the morning and tell them you're taking some vacation time," she said, as if what was happening was the most normal thing in the world. She then leaned across and kissed him on the cheek. He wanted to speak, to yell, to get away but he was at her mercy, completely helpless.

She leaned down and, putting her nursing skills to good use, placed Jack's two arms around her neck and hauled his leaden body to his feet.

_She's stronger than she looks! Where is she taking me?_

He swayed as he tried in vain to balance. His head dropped forward and he noticed that he was no longer just wearing his boxers. He had a sweatpants and sneakers on.

_She must have dressed me._

She put his arms over her shoulder and supported his weight, then she led him, or more accurately, dragged him into the elevator, then to her car. Despite knowing in his mind that he did not want to go with her, he was unable to control his body, as she part carried and part guided him to her vehicle.

The outside world seemed very strange to Jack through his narcotic induced haze, as she helped him into the passenger seat. The streetlights dazzled him and his eyes played tricks on him. He closed his eyes to allow the haze to settle. He wanted to call for help, but he was helpless to act.

He wondered how long it would take for his body to metabolise whatever drug she had given him. He tried hard to get his eyes to focus, but it was useless. He felt alien in his own body. His head lolled forward every now and again as he fought the darkness that was once again beckoning. Streetlights and car headlights provided an illumination show like he had never experienced. It would have been beautiful, had he not found it so terrifying. Eventually he gave in, closed his eyes and slipped into the comfort of slumber.

When he woke, his face felt cold. He realised that he was leaning against the car window, the vibrations from the road rattling his teeth. His head felt a little clearer than before. He looked out of the window and from the trees and greenery that was whizzing by, he realised that they were no longer in the city. They were on a winding forest road that was gradually climbing. He raised his head and looked across towards his captor.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Janet said cheerily, reaching over and placing her hand intimately on his thigh.

Jack flinched slightly and then saw the gun resting on her lap. His background in psychology had taught him to recognize psychosis when he saw it. Janet was definitely delusional and to her, this fantasy was her reality. As she understood it, she and Jack had a romantic relationship. He knew that the danger lay in her discovery that her reality was false. He could not risk antagonizing her because he knew that, if he did, it was likely that she would either kill him, herself or both of them. Right now, he was in a very precarious situation.

_Time to play along!_

"Good morning," he said, feigning a smile.

"So, how do you feel? Sorry I had to give you that stuff. I didn't think you'd have come otherwise," Janet explained.

"I'm okay," Jack replied, as nicely as he could. "I'm a bit thirsty though."

"There's water in the bag on the back seat," she told him. "I stopped and bought some groceries while you were sleeping."

Jack turned and reached for the bag. He found the bottle of water. He took it out and opened the bottle and drank greedily.

"So, where are we going?" he asked, needing to know more while still maintaining his faux smile.

"Elmore, Vermont. My dad used to take us here as kids. You'll love it," she told him.

"I'm sure I will," Jack responded convincingly.

He surreptitiously looked at his watch. It was 7am. He would normally be going to work at that time, probably earlier because they had a case. Janet noticed his sneaky glance at his watch.

"Don't worry. It's time you called work. Tell them you're taking a vacation," she suggested.

"We're in the middle of a case. I'd never blow off a case for a vacation. They'll know there's something up," Jack told her apprehensively, but truthfully. Janet glared at him, unimpressed that he wasn't doing what she suggested.

"Well, come up with something better then," she snapped angrily, before suddenly switching disposition, smiling at him and handing him her cell phone. Jack called the office and asked to speak to Samantha.

"Hey, Jack! Where are you?" Sam asked, surprised that he wasn't in his office by then. He would usually be there before the team.

"I'm taking some personal time," he told her.

"Now? We're in the middle of a case, Jack," she reminded him.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's my mom, she's not doing so well," Jack explained, knowing Sam would understand the ruse.

"Your mom? Jack, what's going on?" Sam asked, sounding very worried. She knew that Jack's mother had committed suicide when he was sixteen. "Jack, are you in trouble?"

"That's right," Jack replied, glancing briefly at Janet. "Maybe a few days."

"Is there someone there with you?" Sam asked.

"Yes, that would be great. Thanks, Sam," Jack said, covertly replying to her questions.

"Okay, I understand, Jack. I'll get a trace on this call. Can you keep the line open?" she asked, hoping he could.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I've got to go," Jack said, hanging up. He tried to maintain his smile as he handed the cell phone back to Janet.

_Well, at least Sam knows something wrong? She'll alert the team and__, hopefully, they'll be able to track me._

**_A/N - thanks for your reviews guys. Much appreciated. Chapter 3 coming soon......._**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Back at the office, Samantha hung up and sat motionless for a moment trying to digest what had just transpired. Vivian noticed her change in demeanour and immediately asked if anything was wrong.

"That was Jack," Samantha told her. "He's in some kind of trouble."

Her expression was enough to convince Vivian that she was worried.

"Who was that on the phone?" Viv asked curiously.

"It was Jack," Sam told her. "He said that his mother was ill and that he needed to take a few days off."

"Oh," Viv replied, knowing all about that part of Jack's history. "Did he sound under duress?" Viv enquired.

"Yeah, I think so. He sounded nervous, very strange," Sam replied.

"Okay, let's check it out," Viv said, taking charge. "Get Martin and Danny over here. I'll call Olczyk and tell him that we may have a situation."

Danny and Martin assembled at the meeting table in the bullpen. As Vivian explained about the strange call from Jack, they too grew concerned. She asked Sam and Danny to get the techs to try and back-trace the last call to Samantha's phone. She and Martin decided to go over to Jack's apartment and check it out.

They arrived at Jack's building quickly, despite morning traffic. There was no sign of forced entry into his apartment, upon inspection. The building superintendent let them in. At first glance, everything appeared normal. There were unwashed plates in the sink. Checking the bedroom, Martin noticed that Jack's bed had been slept in. Then he saw Jack's wallet, gun and ID on the bedside table. His cell phone was on the dresser close by. He drew Viv's attention to that fact.

"That can't be good," she commented as she checked the bathroom.

They returned to the living room and stood ruminating on what might have happened to Jack. That's when Martin noticed something on the floor behind the sofa. He bent down to examine it.

"What is it?" Viv asked.

"Looks like the cover off a syringe," Martin replied. Viv bent down to take a closer look.

"Bag it for evidence," she ordered, just as her cell phone rang. It was Danny.

"Hey, Viv," he said as she answered. "Jack's call was made on a cell phone registered to Janet Danson."

"Janet Danson? Isn't that…..?" she began, remembering the name from their old case.

"The very same," Danny replied. I checked into her whereabouts and she was released from Belleview Hospital a month ago," Danny explained.

"Do you have an address for her?" Viv enquired.

Danny gave her Danson's last known address.

"That's only ten blocks from here," Viv told him. "We'll check it out, Danny. Can you send Forensics over to Jack's apartment in the meantime?"

"Sure. Did you find anything?"

"Not much," Viv replied. "And Danny, go through Jack's phone records. See if he made or received any calls last night. Check his cell as well. Were the techs able to get a location on Danson's cell?" she wondered.

"They're still trying to narrow it down. I'll let you know," he replied before hanging up.

Viv and Martin locked Jack's apartment up as they left and then made their way to the address Danny had given them for Janet Danson's apartment.

Back on the road, Jack was trying to absorb his surroundings as Janet drove through the mountain. They had left the main road and were now driving slowly along a forest camping trail. Janet appeared confident, knowing her way to wherever they were heading. After twenty minutes, Jack spotted a log cabin through the trees. It was very remote. He hadn't seen any other cabins or signs of life since they had left the main road. He examined the area as best he could. The cabin was surrounded by hardwood trees and scrubs. He could try and make a run for it, he considered. If he was going to risk it, he wanted to be sure that his legs would be up for it. He still wasn't sure if the effects of the drugs were out of his system. He would have to wait and see.

Janet slowed the car as they neared the clearing in front of the cabin.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said, beaming with delight. "Just perfect."

"Yeah, it's great," Jack replied, a little distracted by the escape plans he was concocting in his head.

He could try and disarm her but the odds of getting shot were quite high. If he made a run for it, he figured the odds of her shooting at him were high, but the likelihood of her hitting him was relatively low.

She pulled up right outside the cabin. She stepped out of the car and tucked the pistol into the front of her jeans and stood momentarily to appreciate her surroundings. Jack opened the passenger door and swung his legs out of the car. He stood up and made an exaggerated stretch, inhaling the clear, fresh mountain air. So far so good, he felt fine. Janet opened the rear door of the car and reached in to take out the bag of groceries.

Jack saw it as his opportunity and decided to take it. Knowing that her eyes were off him briefly, Jack set off running towards the tree line. By the time Janet realised that he was running, he was almost in the trees. She roared angrily at him to come back.

"Jack! No, Jack! Come back here!" she demanded. "Don't leave me!" she yelled, ripping the pistol from her jeans. She shouted again and begged him to return, but he kept running. She raised the gun and fired round after round in his direction.

Jack zigged and zagged, trying to make it more difficult for her to hit him. He could hear the bullets whizzing past him and hitting the foliage ahead of him. His adrenalin was pumping and he kept going until he reached the cover of the trees. He continued on through the thicket, not knowing where he was headed. He could hear her calling him to come back, begging, pleading. Jack continued to run. Soon all he could hear was his blood pounding in his ears. He ran until he could no longer catch his breath. By then, Janet's pleas could no longer be heard. He stopped, placed his hands on his hips and bent forward to catch his breath.

It was then that he saw it. He stared at it in disbelief and it took a moment for the sight to register with him. There was a growing bloodstain on his t-shirt? He touched the stain, as if to check that it was real. He held out his bloodied fingers in disbelief. Why was he bleeding? He lifted his t-shirt to see where the blood was coming from. The sight of an ugly exit wound, steadily seeping blood on his right hand side, shocked him. He felt around his back and sure enough, just below his lowest rib there was a smaller entry wound. Again he stared at the blood on his hands incredulously. The adrenaline, which had been coursing through him, was wearing off fast and as he fought to steady his breathing, he started to feel faint.

_Not a good time to pass out!  
_

His knees started to buckle and he grabbed onto a nearby tree trunk to break his fall. He slumped against it, shoulder first and slid to the ground. Somehow he managed to cling to consciousness. He could tell he was going into shock but knew his priority had to be to slow or stop the bleeding. Sitting there with his back against the rough bark, he tore at the bottom of his t-shirt. He ripped a piece of cloth from it and agonisingly pushed it into the exit would in his side. He rested his head back against the trunk and with tears in his eyes, managed to mute his instinct to cry out. The pain and effort soon became too much and he gave in, welcoming the painless darkness.

**_TBC_**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

While Jack was lying injured in the wilderness, Martin and Vivian were searching Janet Danson's apartment. It was a small, one-bedroom place in a grotty, unkempt building. As they trawled through her possessions, they discovered cut-out clippings and articles from newspapers, most of which mentioned Jack by name. They also found an envelope of photographs of Jack, taken from afar, over a period of weeks. Some of them were of his apartment block, others of him entering or leaving his building or work, a few of Samantha and Jack having breakfast at Gino's, even one of him while working on a case. She had been stalking him. There was no doubt about that. They also found a collection of holiday brochures, foreign and domestic, some of which had pages folded down.

As they searched, Viv's cell phone rang again. This time it was Samantha.

"Viv, it's me. I've been going through Danson's credit card charges and it looks like she hired a car, the day before yesterday. I've put an APB out on it," Sam informed her.

"Good. You might want to extend that APB to out-of-state agencies," Viv suggested.

"Why?"

"We've found brochures for hotels, cabins and spas. It looks like she was planning a trip; all we need now is to find out where," Viv replied.

"Danny might be able to help with that. One minute," Sam said, turning to her colleague, who just happened to be returning from the Tech Room. "Okay, Viv, Danny said that the cell phone that Jack used was pinging from a tower in upstate Vermont," she told her. "Are there any brochures for that area?"

"I'll have a look and get back to you," Vivian replied. "You and Danny get on the road north and alert local authorities that you're coming."

Samantha didn't need to be told twice. Within twenty minutes, she and Danny were on the highway, heading north in the direction of Vermont.

Back in the forest, Jack was beginning to come around again, as soft drops of rain splashed off his face. He opened his eyes and, at first, had no idea where he was. It took a few moments before the details of his last few hours came flooding back. He felt terrible. He looked down towards his wound. The piece of shirt was still wedged into it and the bleeding appeared to have slowed significantly. He raised his arm to check the time to see how long he had been unconscious but then realised that he wasn't wearing a watch. He listened carefully, trying to hear if he had been followed. Besides the rustling of the branches in the breeze and the odd birdcall, he could hear nothing.

He knew he couldn't stay where he was. No one would find him there. His best chance of getting help was to get back to the road. From what he could tell, the cabin was to the east of him, which would mean that the road should be somewhere to the south of where he sat.

He turned on his uninjured side and using the tree trunk for support, he staggered awkwardly to his feet. The movement sent a surge of pain through him. A feeling of nausea followed swiftly and he retched as he hung on to the tree. Remaining slightly stooped and with one hand still leaning on the tree trunk, he allowed himself time to gulp the air and regain his composure before setting off in the direction of the road.

_I hope I'm right._

Back at the cabin, Janet Danson looked a pitiful sight. She sat on the damp clay ground surrounded by spilled groceries. She kept her now empty pistol aimed by her side and every now and again she'd raise it and pull the trigger. All she heard was a hollow click. Tears streaked her face and she mumbled words of love and loss as she stared into the wall of trees, calling Jack's name intermittently. She felt lost and had no idea how to deal with his rejection.

Danny and Samantha were an hour into their drive to the northeast when Sam's cell phone rang. Viv's name lit up on the caller display.

"Hi, Viv," she said as she answered.

"Sam, I've got something. Janet Danson made an online reservation for a holiday rental near Elmore," Vivan told her.

"I saw that on the map. It's close to the cell tower," Sam pointed out.

"Yeah. Head up there and I'll let the local sheriff's department know and get them to meet you there," Viv said with authority.

"Okay. We're on our way. I'll call you when we get there," Sam said before hanging up and relaying the update to Danny.

Danny accelerated in the direction of Elmore. His mentor was in trouble and he had no way of knowing exactly how much. He always considered Jack more than capable of looking after himself, but he also remembered Janet Danson from the last time their paths crossed. She was a seriously disturbed woman. Although she had never displayed violent tendencies previously, Danny feared what she might be capable of.

An hour later they were at the entrance to the park. They were met by a ranger who agreed to escort them to the cabin. Viv had sent them the booking details, which made it easy for the ranger to locate it. They followed the ranger's truck off the main road and continued down the narrow service road. They could see the picturesque lake in the distance as the road climbed. Eventually the road led to the property they were seeking. As they approached, they observed the rental car parked out front. From their position, they couldn't see any sign of activity around the building itself.

It wasn't until they stopped their car and walked towards the cabin that they spotted Janet Danson sitting in the rain. She sat with her back leaning against the body of the car, staring into space, still clinging onto the gun. Danny was the first to react at the sight of the weapon and immediately drew his sidearm. Sam quickly followed suit. To their dismay, Janet didn't even appear to notice their presence. Her eyes were fixated on the trees beyond.

"Janet Danson! F.B.I! Put down the weapon, Janet!" Danny ordered firmly but non-threatening, not wanting to startle Janet and spark a defensive reaction.

Slowly, he approached her, speaking softly and reassuring her. Eventually, she looked up at him with a pitiful gaze. He lowered his weapon, reached out and took the gun, which she surrendered to him without protest. He secured the weapon and then removed his jacket and placed it around the shoulders of the shivering woman.

"Janet, where's Agent Malone?" Sam asked, holstering her gun and kneeling down to her level. She was desperately worried at this stage. Janet just shook her head.

Samantha repeated the question. This time Janet gestured towards the trees.

"He's gone. He just left me. Why would he leave me like that?" she sobbed tearfully.

Danny jogged over to the tree line and called Jack's name, hoping Jack had remained close by. There was no reply. They placed Janet into their car and cuffed her. Sam then decided to check the cabin, just in case Jack was there. She tried the door. It was all locked up and there was no sign of life inside. She returned to the car and shook her head to let Danny know that there was no one there.

"I'll call Viv. She's in touch with the sheriff's department. I'll get them to bring a canine unit in," Sam decided, as she looked towards the magnificent forest that surrounded them. She knew how easy it would be for someone to get lost in such wilderness. If Jack was out there, they were going to need help finding him.

_**TBC**_

**A/N - Sorry its such a short chapter. Hang in there, chapter 5 will be up asap. **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Little did Agent Spade know that only a few miles to the west of where she stood, Jack Malone was stumbling and struggling through unforgiving wild terrain. His injured side was killing him and making his journey all the more difficult. The effort was taking a massive toll on his body. He was weak from blood loss, shock and dehydration. The perspiration that pumped from his body was soon washed away by the now steady fall of spring rain. Every now and again he opened his mouth skywards to taste some of the precious moisture.

_The road can't be much further now._

He continued on, stumbling over the fallen twigs and branches that littered the forest floor. Only his own heavy breathing and the snapping twigs beneath his feet could be heard above the deafening silence of the woodland. When he came upon a small creek, he decided to stop and catch his breath. He looked around the area for something familiar. He recalled crossing an old wooden bridge on the drive to the cabin and considered following the path of the creek and hopefully make it to the road. Having rested briefly, he decided to continue down the steep incline, with the intention of crossing the narrow watercourse. However, his unsteady gait failed him and he slipped on the greasy foliage and stumbled, falling head over heels to the bottom of the short incline. He landed on the rocky creek bed, his head smashing onto a rock and rendering him unconscious. There he remained with his body half in the water of the creek bed and half on the rocky mud-covered bank. The rain continued to fall, soaking his motionless form.

Back at the cabin, Sheriff Briscoe had arrived from Hardwick Police Department, as had the local doctor. While the doctor was checking on Janet Danson, Samantha and Danny spoke to the sheriff.

"Do you have any idea if your agent was injured or anything?" the sheriff enquired.

"Not as far as we know but her weapon has been fired, so anything's possible," Sam told him, looking over at Danson. "Jack was in the Army, so he'd find his way out of there if he could."

"Well, m'am, let's hope so, but it is very easy for someone to get turned around in these woods. Even locals get themselves lost," Briscoe told her, noting her worried expression as she turned away from him. "Oh, don't worry Agent Spade, old Abe here has never let us down yet," he said, referring to the lazy looking bloodhound lying loyally at his feet.

"Won't the rain have washed away any scent?" Danny asked with concern.

"It may have dampened it, but Abe here will find it, never you worry," the sheriff replied confidently. "C'mon, boy," he said, giving the leash a gentle tug. Abe got lazily to his feet, his tail wagging, ready for duty.

Danny decided to accompany the sheriff into the forest and help with the search. Meanwhile, Samantha would follow the doctor back to Hardwick in her car, with Janet Danson as her prisoner. As Sam drove along the tree-lined forest road, she couldn't help but worry about Jack. She felt sick to her stomach, knowing that he was out there in the cold and wet and, for all she knew, injured. She felt helpless. She tried to engage Danson in conversation but she was incommunicative. Back at the cabin, Sam had watched as the doctor administered some form of sedative to calm her so Sam knew she wasn't going to get much sense from the woman.

She couldn't help but be troubled, especially after searching Janet's handbag and finding some unused filled syringes, containing an unknown substance. Danson, herself had no needle marks that would signify regular substance abuse, so Sam figured that this was probably what she had used to control Jack and get him out of his apartment. She was concerned that he may still be under the influence of whatever narcotic contained therein and feared that he was lying unconscious out there, somewhere. It would be dark soon and the thoughts and images that plagued her disturbed her greatly. She fought back the welling tears as she watched her wipers sweep away the rain from the windscreen. She glanced in her rear-view mirror at her prisoner in the back seat. She remained almost trancelike, staring straight ahead, her face now emotionless.

A splash of cold rainwater onto Jack's face was what roused his senses as he slowly fought his way back to consciousness. He opened his eyes and immediately the jackhammers started pounding inside his skull. He was lying face down in the silt of the creek bed with his lower body positioned in the flowing water. The water was freezing. Using his hands, he raised his upper body out of the mud. Getting slowly to his hands and knees, he crawled out of the water onto the bank. The movement sent the ground swirling around him and he was unable to quell the sudden nausea that swept over him. He was sick where he knelt.

_Great! Only I'd get shot and concussed on the same day! _

Remaining on his hands and knees, he gulped the moist air and tried to summon the strength to get to his feet. As each breath shook, he realised that his teeth were chattering. He was so cold. He wondered how long he had been lying there. His clothes were soaked and caked in mud. His military training had taught him that hypothermia was his enemy and silent killer. He willed himself to get to his feet. He had to keep moving, even though all he wanted to do was rest. He knew, however, that if he fell asleep, the probability was that he would not wake up.

With a roar of determination and agony combined, he clambered shakily to his feet. He willed his jellied knees to lock and hold him upright. Using the undergrowth for support, he pulled himself up the sloping bank of the creek. By the time he had hauled himself the few feet up the slope, his head was swimming again. Standing up and clutching his injured side, he realised that he was completely disorientated. The sun had disappeared behind the dark rain clouds and he couldn't determine which direction to take. Something told him to keep going straight. He was pretty sure that had been the direction he had been heading before he fell.

Sam stood watching Janet Danson, as she sat alone in the interview room at Hardwick Police Station. She looked so normal, Sam thought, so vulnerable. You would never think her capable of harming another soul. Danson looked extremely calm and relaxed. Her incessant ranting had been replaced by empty silence. Now she just stared at the wall ahead, barely blinking.

What had she done to Jack? Lost in her thoughts, Samantha was startled by the shrill ring of her cell phone. It was Martin.

"Hi, Sam! Any news on Jack?" Martin enquired.

"No, nothing yet. I left Danny searching the forest with Sheriff Briscoe. I'm at Hardwick Police Station with Danson," she told him.

"Did you get anything from her?" Martin wondered.

"Nothing. She's out of it," Sam told him. "She's completely withdrawn. I doubt if we'll get through to her," Sam informed him.

"Can we even be sure that she brought Jack to the cabin?" Martin asked with a hint of hesitation.

"We're working on the presumption that he was there. She was so distraught and ranting about him leaving her. He must have been there and got away from her," Sam tells him.

"I hope so, because if he wasn't, we've got nothing. Let me know if you hear anything," Martin said before bidding goodbye.

Danny turned up his collar as the drizzling rain became heavier. He wasn't very appropriately attired but the sheriff had loaned him a rain jacket before they set off. He followed the sheriff and Abe as he followed the scent that the hound had picked up only minutes earlier. He saw Briscoe crouch down up ahead of him and touch something on the ground and then rub his fingers to examine it.

"Blood," he said, turning toward the young agent. "It looks like that crazy lady may have wounded your friend."

"Damn it!" Danny exclaimed in desperation. "We have to find him. He could be badly injured."

"Don't worry. Abe has the scent. We'll find him. If he's wounded, he won't get too far in this wilderness," Briscoe said bluntly.

Danny shook his head and sped up his pace. The thoughts of Jack lying, losing blood, somewhere out there in the rain scared him. He had no idea how seriously he was hurt but he had to find him, and soon.

Meanwhile, Jack had been walking for what felt like forever. In fact, it was less than an hour. The daylight was quickly fading. He trudged through the undergrowth with his head down and his left hand across his body, clutching his injured right side. All of a sudden, he realised that he was no longer in the trees. He raised his head and examined his surroundings. He was standing on a grass verge alongside a narrow road.

_I made it!_

He looked up and down, hoping to see a car, but the road was deserted. It was obvious to him that it was a road not frequently used. He decided that his only option was to follow the road and hope that someone came along. He chose to take the route downhill. He plodded onwards. He was exhausted. His legs felt like lead as he tried to raise one foot after the other. By that stage, the sun had set and visibility was poor. Jack was unsure how long he could keep going, but he had no intention of giving up now.

_**TBC**_

**_Thanks again guys for your kind reviews. I love to hear what you think. Chapter 6 up very soon!_**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

On the mountain road, Jack struggled onwards, one agonising step after the other. The wound in his side felt hot and throbbed relentlessly. On several occasions he had to stop and steady himself as he was hit by waves of dizziness. Some while later he thought he saw car headlights coming towards him. He stepped into the middle of the road and waved his arms to get the driver's attention.

_Please let this guy see me or he's gonna hit me._

Paul Hutchinson was on his way home from a quiet day at the ranger station near the lake. He had his radio turned up and was listening to a Leonard Cohen track when he saw movement up ahead, just beyond the beam of his headlights. At first he thought it was a deer or some animal on the road. As his lights illuminated the figure, he realised that it was a man. He stood on the brakes and his jeep skidded to a halt inches from the dishevelled looking figure in front of him. Paul jumped out of his truck as the guy staggered towards him, using the hood of the jeep for support.

"Jeez, man. What are you doing out…..?" he began to ask before he thought he saw the blood on Jack's face and head.

"I need your help," was all that Jack could manage before his shaky legs gave out and he slumped forward.

The ranger reacted quickly and managed to catch Jack and break his fall. He eased the injured man to the ground.

"Woah! Take it easy, okay?" he said, lying him down on the road. "I'll get you some water," he said, standing up and turning back to the truck.

He reached inside the cab and grabbed his canteen before kneeling back down beside an exhausted Jack. He placed his hand behind his head and raised it so that he could take some water.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Jack….Malone," Jack replied. "I'm an FBI agent."

"What happened to you?" Hutchinson asked, as he attempted to get Jack to his feet. It was only then that he noticed the blood coming from Jack's side. "What is that?" he asked in horror. "Is that a bullet wound?"

Jack nodded weakly as his rescuer lifted what was left of Jack's shirt to check the source of the bleeding. He winced at the crude patch up job that Jack had obviously carried out on himself.

"That looks pretty bad," Hutchinson commented, but Jack was too busy concentrating on staying conscious, to answer him. "I need to get you to a hospital."

Paul managed to get Jack into the passenger side of the truck. Then he reached into the back of the truck and took out the first aid kit that he had stored there. He opened it and removed some disinfectant and gauze pads. He poured the disinfectant over the exit wound and tried to clean it up a little. Then he pressed a gauze pad over the wound, causing Jack great discomfort. He asked Jack to lean slightly forward and did the same to the entry wound on his back.

"Can you keep that pressed there while I drive?" Hutchinson asked. Jack nodded weakly, placing his hand on the gauze. Jack leaned his head on the window as Paul re-started the engine and got underway. He drove with urgency, knowing his passenger was in bad shape.

"Are you still with me, Jack?" he asked, glancing anxiously towards his passenger. Jack grunted an incoherent response, which was more than acceptable to the driver at that point. At least he was conscious.

"Not long now, buddy," Paul would say every couple of minutes, trying to keep Jack's spirits up. "Not much farther."

Eventually they reached the outer limits of Montpelier. It was the closest city and had several hospitals but Hutchinson chose the nearest hospital. When he told Jack that they were near, he received no response, much to his disquiet. He looked closely at Jack and couldn't tell for sure if he was breathing. To his relief, he noticed the window, against which Jack's head lay, was fogging up every few seconds from his shallow breathing. Hutchinson sped through the streets and eventually turned into the hospital grounds with a slight skid on the slick road surface. He pulled up outside the ER entrance.

"We're here," he announced, but again got no reply. He jumped out of the vehicle and ran into the hospital.

"I need some help out here," he shouted as he ran inside. Several heads turned in his direction. One nurse approached him.

"What is it, sir?" she asked calmly.

"I found a guy on Eagle Creek Road. He's been shot," he told her, urging her to follow him. She calmly turned to an orderly who happened to be passing and asked him to get a gurney and follow her outside. She told another nurse to page Dr. Lee.

Hutchinson rushed around to the passenger door and opened it. Thankfully his reactions were sharp as Jack tumbled towards him as the door opened. He caught him and pushed him back into the cab of the truck before standing back and allowing the nurse access to him. She squeezed past him and immediately felt Jack's neck, checking for a pulse. She nodded to Paul, indicating that it was present.

"Give me a hand to get him onto the gurney," she said, once the orderly had arrived.

Between them they managed to get Jack's now unconscious bulk onto the gurney and they promptly wheeled him into the ER. They had only entered the trauma room when Dr. Lee arrived. An oxygen mask was placed over Jack's nose and mouth as another member of the trauma team cut off his mud-caked clothes and covered him with a sterile blue sheet.

Hutchinson watched on as the team swarmed around their new patient and barked out stats and orders. It wasn't long before his presence was noticed and he was asked to accompany the receptionist to complete admission papers. He followed, all the while explaining that he didn't know the man they were treating. He told them that his name was Jack Malone and that he told him that he was an FBI agent. He had no wallet or ID on him to confirm this, however. The receptionist told him that she had to call the police because he is suffering from a gunshot wound and that they would probably want to talk to him also. Hutchinson had no problem waiting around while she called them.

He called his wife and explained what had happened and that he would be home late.

Meanwhile Samantha was still anxiously waiting on news in the sheriff's department, thirty miles away in Hardwick. Her cell phone rang and she prayed it was the call she was waiting on, to say Jack was found and that he was fine. He heart sank when she saw it was Vivian.

"Oh, hi, Viv," she said, trying not to sound disappointed.

"Samantha, I've just had a call from Olcyzk. He's received word that a man matching Jack's description was brought to the ER at Montpelier General Hospital by a forest ranger," she told her.

"Montpelier? That's not very far from here," Sam said, relieved to have some news. "I'm on my way."

In her haste, she realised that she never asked Vivian about Jack's condition. She wasn't sure whether to be glad or scared that he was in hospital. At least they knew where he was now and that he was alive. She just prayed that he was going to be all right.

As she hurried to her car, she called Danny and told him that Jack had been found and that she was on her way to the hospital in Montpelier to see him. Danny sounded relieved and worried at the same time. Sam had no details on Jack's condition, but he found some comfort knowing that at least he wasn't lying injured in the wilderness.

Danny informed Sheriff Briscoe that Jack had been located and that they could call off their search. Making their way back to the cabin, Danny asked the sheriff if he would give him a ride to the hospital. The sheriff was more than happy to oblige. Soon they were in the sheriff's car and underway.

_**TBC**_

**_Sorry this is a short chapter. Next one will be longer - I promise! Thanks again for all your comments. _**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Thanks again guys for the reviews. _**

Chapter 7

Samantha was first to reach the hospital in Montpelier. She rushed through the doors and waited impatiently at the reception desk to speak to someone. Eventually the girl behind the desk ended her phone call and looked up at the fretful blonde standing over her.

"I'm looking for Special Agent Jack Malone. I was told he was brought here," Sam said, showing the girl her ID as she spoke.

"Just one moment," the girl said, punching the name into her computer. "Ah, yes. Mr. Malone has been taken to surgery. You can wait over there with that guy who brought him in if you like?"

Sam turned and looked to where the receptionist was pointing. Sitting on a bench with his arms folded was a uniformed forest ranger. Sam thanked the receptionist and approached the handsome fellow.

"Hi," she said, smiling sweetly at him. He looked up at her. "I'm Special Agent Samantha Spade with the FBI."

"Paul Hutchinson," he said, shaking her hand. "You guys got here quickly."

Sam smiled again.

"Well, actually, I've just come from Hardwick. Agent Malone has been missing and we followed the trail to here," she said casually.

"Oh, right. So, do you know what happened to him?" Hutchinson asked curiously.

"Not really," Sam replied. "I was sort of hoping you might be able to help me with that."

"Well, he wasn't able to tell me much," Hutchinson told her. Sam hesitated, wanting to find out Jack's condition but not wanting to seem inappropriately concerned.

"Em, was he hurt badly? The receptionist wasn't able to give me any details," Sam asked awkwardly.

"Well, I don't know. It looked bad enough to me. He was shot, you know," he informed her. "He was a mess when I found him. I almost hit him with my truck."

"Was he conscious?"

"Oh, yeah, he waved me down, but collapsed soon after. He was losing a lot of blood," Hutchinson told her.

"Did he say anything about what happened?" Sam asked.

"No, he was pretty out of it," Paul replied, shaking his head. Sam sighed forlornly.

"Thank you," Sam said, turning to the ranger. "Thank you for everything you did for him. Do you mind if I wait here with you?"

"Not at all. I hope you don't mind me sticking around. I just want to make sure he's okay," Hutchinson told her.

"Of course. I'd be glad of the company," Samantha replied, relaxing back into the seat.

The pair sat and waited together, exchanging polite conversation occasionally. There was very little activity in the small local hospital. A few patients filtered in and out over time. About an hour later, Danny arrived, his hair slick with rain and his shoes muddy. Sam looked at him and smiled at the sight of the usually dapper young agent.

"Hey, Sam. How is he?" Danny asked eagerly.

"He's in surgery. No news yet," Sam told him. "Danny, this is Paul Hutchinson. He's the ranger who found Jack. Paul, this is Special Agent Danny Taylor," Sam said by way of introduction.

Danny extended his hand and shook it strongly before taking the seat on the other side of Samantha. It was another hour before they were approached by a doctor.

"Are you here for Jack Malone?" he asked the trio.

Both Danny and Sam leapt to their feet.

"Yes! Agents Taylor and Spade, FBI. How is he?" Samantha asked anxiously.

"He's been through quite an ordeal by the looks of it. He suffered a gunshot wound to his side. Luckily it missed all vital organs. He lost a lot of blood, but he should recover nicely. He also has a mild concussion and multiple cuts and abrasions, but nothing to cause too much concern. He's extremely weak so I'll be keeping him here for a few days observation, but he's going to be fine," the doctor told them confidently.

Sam released the breath that she had been holding and allowed a wave of relief wash over her. She felt the tears well up in her eyes again and was afraid to speak for fear of breaking down.

"That's great, Doc," Danny said, noticing Sam's unusually emotional state and stepping in. "Thank you so much. Can we see him?"

"He's just being settled into a room at the moment. I'll send someone to fetch you in a few minutes," the doctor replied.

As the doctor walked away, Danny put his arm around Samantha's shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"You see, he's going to be fine," Danny stated positively.

Sam felt her knees go a little weak and quickly sat back down on the seat behind her. Danny positioned himself beside her once more. She looked at Hutchinson, who smiled broadly at her and gave a playful little wink.

"That's the best news I've heard all day," he said with delight. "Well, I'd best be on my may. I'm glad he's going to be okay," he said, again shaking the hand of both agents.

"Thanks, man," Danny said gratefully. "I really appreciate everything you did for him."

Hutchinson smiled awkwardly, embarrassed by Danny's praise.

"Thank you, Paul," Sam said, getting to her feet and giving him a peck on the cheek.

The shy ranger bid them farewell and was soon on his way home to his family with one hell of a story to tell.

A nurse found them soon after Hutchinson left and escorted them to Jack's room.

"He's sleeping," she told them softly. "He might be groggy and disorientated when he wakes, but that's only to be expected," she said, showing them into the room.

The room was dimly lit when they entered and Jack lay, slightly elevated, in the bed. He certainly looked like he had been through the wars. His face was scratched and bruised, with an ugly looking gash on the side of his head, which had been recently stitched. A nasal canula rested on his upper lip, providing him with an oxygen-rich mix of air.

Sam instantly longed to hold his hand, to gently caress his face and just to be close to him. Those rising urges reminded her of feelings she had thought she had long suppressed. Seeing him lying there, so vulnerable and frail, stirred the embers of her desire. How many times would she have to douse the flames of her yearnings? It wasn't happening and it probably was never going to happen. They had both agreed on the 'just good friends' routine. They would socialise now and again and often had breakfast together, although now it was pre-arranged and not after having spent the night together.

She thought she was happy with that arrangement. Jack seemed to be. Anything more was just too complicated, he would say. Often, when alone, she allowed herself to imagine what their lives would have been like if they both had 'normal' jobs. She tried imagining herself as a schoolteacher and Jack as an accountant, going out on dates, meeting each other's family and friends and their delight when they announced their engagement. She visualized their beautiful white wedding and their new family home in the suburbs. And then there were the kids. She really wanted kids, a boy and a girl. It would be great, but she knew it was just a fantasy.

They had tried, briefly, to make it work, but it just didn't. It made life at the office very awkward. For Jack, seeing someone in his chain of command was frowned upon by his superiors, so they were destined to remain a closet couple. The skulking around, the secrecy and the effort quickly ate away at them. Neither of them was happy and they decided to end it. She thought she was okay with that, but it was obvious to her now that those feelings for Jack hadn't died. She had been keeping them locked away all this time.

"He looks better than I expected," Danny commented, his voice snapping her back to reality.

"Huh?" Sam replied. "Yeah, he does," she stuttered.

"I can't wait to hear the full story about this one," Danny said with a glint in his eye. Sam smiled back at him. "It should be one for the books."

They remained in the room for a while, watching him sleep. Eventually hunger drove them to the cafeteria to get something to eat. They ate fast food, drank coffee and chatted. As they finished, Danny told Samantha that he was going to call Vivian and update her on Jack's condition. Sam left him to do so and returned to Jack's room alone. To her surprise, he was awake when she got there.

"Hey," she said coyly approaching him. Jack shifted in the bed, wincing as he did so.

"Hey, yourself," he said, his voice more hoarse than usual.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Tired," he replied, licking his parched lips. Sam noticed his thirst and reached for the cup of water on the bedside table. She offered it to him and he accepted gratefully.

"Where am I?" he asked, once he had finished drinking.

"You're in hospital in Montpelier, Vermont," she told him. A forest ranger picked you up and brought you in."

Jack nodded.

"I remember him," Jack said, recalling flagging down the truck. "I remember getting into his truck. After that is pretty much a blank."

"Do you remember what happened at the cabin?" Sam enquired. "Janet Danson? Can you remember anything?"

"I don't think I'll forget that in a hurry," Jack joked. "Did you find her?"

"Yeah, she was at the cabin when we got there," Sam told him. "It's pretty clear that she's suffered another psychotic episode. She certainly wasn't making much sense. They're holding her at Hardwick Police Station, waiting for a psyche assessment."

Jack shook his head, partly feeling sorry for Janet.

"She thought I was cheating on her," Jack said, almost laughing at how ridiculous it was. "She came to my apartment in the middle of the night and produced a gun. There wasn't much I could do after that. She injected me with something," he told her wearily, his head sinking back into the pillow.

He looked so vulnerable and alone lying there. Samantha's familiar instincts kicked in. She couldn't help herself and she sat on the edge of the bed and placed his hand comfortably on her lap. Jack inhaled her perfume as she sat so intimately beside him. Her closeness brought back memories of better times. He didn't want to misread anything though. She was just being a good friend, right?

"I was so worried," Sam admitted, as she sat there holding his hand.

He squeezed her hand in acknowledgement. His painkillers were really starting to kick in and he was beginning to feel pretty spaced out and drowsy.

"Wow, whatever they've given me is top notch stuff," he told her, sounding woozy.

"Maybe I should let you sleep them off," she told him, getting off the bed.

"Could you stay?" Jack asked drowsily, refusing to let go of her hand.

"If you want," Sam replied, gladly sitting down on the bedside chair.

"I want," Jack replied, his eyes already closing.

Sam felt a tug at her heartstrings. It felt good to be needed, especially by him. Jack's facial expression relaxed and his breathing deepened, indicating to her that he was already asleep. She brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. She used to love watching him sleep. The last time, though, she was lying beside him, exhausted after a wonderful night of passion. He looked so different when he was sleeping. At rest, the furrows and lines on his face vanished and he looked so much younger. It was as though the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.

She rested her hand on his and unconsciously stroked it lovingly every now and again. At one point she realised what she was doing and chided herself for allowing herself to become overly attached and slip back into old habits. The stress of him vanishing and the fear of never seeing him again had allowed all those old submerged feelings to resurface. She loved him. She had never stopped loving him, but she scolded herself for letting her guard down again. Why did she torture herself like this, over and over? Why did it have to be so difficult?

Her happiest times were those stolen nights and precious moments she had shared with Jack. She struggled to recall a time since when she had been anywhere near as happy. She cursed fate, the heavens and anything else she could think of. Was she destined to be a tortured soul forever? She and Jack were soul mates. She had no doubt about that. But decisions that were made in the past convinced her that Jack was not of the same opinion.

Maybe it was time to come clean. She should tell him. But how could she tell him? To blurt out some declaration of undying love to any man would more than likely make him run a mile, but to Jack, after what he'd just been through was a mistake. She was sure his opinion of women would be a little tainted at the moment. It was best to wait.

_**A/N - I thought it was time to add that dash of J/S. Hope you approve.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N – in case I haven't mentioned it before, the writing in italics is meant to signify Jack's thoughts.**

Chapter 8

As Samantha sat mulling over life's inequities, she was startled by Danny when he arrived back into Jack's room. She immediately released Jack's hand, hoping that Danny hadn't noticed, but he had.

"You don't have to do that, you know?" Danny said considerately.

"Do what?"

"Pretend. It's obvious that you two still have something special. The only problem seems to be that the two of you are the only ones who can't see it," Danny told her.

Sam looked at him, a little aghast at what he was saying. Was it really that obvious? She smiled and reached back and put her hand on Jack's. Danny nodded in approval.

"Any sign of him waking up yet?" Danny asked.

"Oh, well, he did earlier…for a few minutes," Sam informed him.

"That's good. Did he say anything?" Danny wondered.

"Not much. He was pretty groggy, but he said he remembered some of what happened. We should be able to take his statement when he wakes again," Sam told him.

"I guess he was lucky," Danny said in contemplation. "It could have been a whole lot worse."

"Absolutely," Sam replied. "I was just thinking the same thing."

"Martin and Viv said to give Jack all their best. Even Olczyk sounded worried," Danny told her.

"Really? Jack will love that," Samantha smiled, knowing how often Jack butted heads with Olczyk.

It was getting pretty late and, eventually, Danny was the one to suggest getting motel rooms. Sam agreed that they needed to rest, but she was reluctant to leave Jack's side. Danny fully understood and offered to stay in Samantha's place, but she was having none of it. She just had to be with him.

"Okay then, if you insist," Danny relented. "I'll find a motel room and I'll call you later. Do you want me to ask the nurse to bring you in a blanket and pillow if you're staying?"

"Sure," Sam replied, appreciating his thoughtfulness.

"Goodnight then. I'll see you in the morning," Danny said, eventually leaving the room.

The nurse came in a few minutes later armed with a pillow and blanket. Sam thanked her and settled in for the long night. Sleep didn't come easy for her. She spent most of the night listening to Jack's heavy breathing and occasional snoring. Then there were the usual hospital noises and sounds to contend with. She twisted and turned in the armchair in the corner of Jack's room for most of the night, occasionally walking over to his bedside just to check on him. Eventually exhaustion kicked in and she fell into a deep sleep. By then, however, dawn was almost upon them.

Jack woke early the following morning. Dawn sunlight was peeping through the gaps in the closed blinds. He felt a little better this time around. His head wasn't as fuzzy and things seemed clearer to him. He tried to raise himself in the bed and got a quick, sharp reminder of his injury, as a dart of pain shot from his side and around his abdomen. He winced and groaned softly but continued his quest to sit up in the bed. As he manoeuvred, he noticed Samantha sleeping on the chair across from him. He eventually located the button to raise the bed so that he could sit with ease. The effort, however, left him breathless. He lay there, catching his breath and watching the beautiful blonde asleep before him.

_God, she's beautiful! Don't know what she ever saw in me. I'm hardly the type of guy you'd expect a young woman like Sam to be attracted to, but she was. You're such an idiot. How could you let her go? You sure know how to mess things up, Jack. First Maria and then Sam; you keep screwing up every relationship you have. No doubt your girls will hate you soon enough. You don't deserve to be loved. It was nice of Sam to stay last night, though. She obviously felt sorry for you. I suppose pity is all you can expect after the way you treated her. But she's the reason you made it out of there alive. You need to tell her. _

Jack was quietly observing Sam sleep when he noticed a movement as she began to wake. She twisted on the chair and pulled at the blanket, which was sliding off her. Her face wrinkled and creased as the morning light roused her. Jack smiled as he watched her battle against her inevitable waking. She rubbed her eyes as she stood up and began to straighten out her clothes. Only then did she become aware of the fact that she was being watched.

"Jack! You're awake," she said, stating the obvious.

"I'm not the only one," Jack replied with a grin. "Rough night?"

"I've had better," Sam replied honestly. "You look better."

"I feel better," Jack told her. "Were you here all night?"

"Yeah. Danny checked into a motel and I wanted to stay with you….," Sam informed him, "you know, to make sure you were all right."

"You didn't have to, you know." Jack told her.

"Oh, I know, but I wanted to," Sam said, approaching the bed. She ran her hands through her hair and tried to tidy it. "I must look a mess," she said, a little embarrassed by her crumpled appearance.

"Not at all," Jack replied openly.

"Can I get you anything?" Sam asked, moving closer to him and sitting down on the chair beside the bed.

"No, I'm good," Jack replied.

"So," Sam said, trying to start a conversation, "do you want to talk about what happened?"

"Not really," Jack replied, withdrawing slightly.

"You really should talk about it, if not to me, to someone else," Sam advised diplomatically.

"It's not you," Jack stammered. "Well, it is you, sort of. I mean…..I don't know what I mean," he snapped, much to Sam's surprise.

"I don't understand," Sam said, looking every bit as confused as she sounded.

"You'll probably think I'm traumatised or something, but believe me when I say I'm not," Jack rambled.

"Jack, you're not making any sense," Sam pointed out.

"None of it makes sense," Jack replied cryptically.

"Maybe I should get the doctor," Sam said, sounding worried and getting to her feet.

"No, I don't need a doctor," Jack said, reaching and grabbing her hand to stop her leaving. "I need you," he blurted out.

Sam looked at him, her face a picture of confusion and worry. Maybe the pain meds are affecting him, she contemplated.

"It's okay, Jack. I'm not going anywhere," she reassured him.

"No, you don't understand," he began. "When I was out there, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. Lots of stuff was going through my mind, and….." he paused and took a big breath. "… I realised that my biggest regret was losing you."

Sam sat back down, speechless. She wasn't sure how to react to his sudden admission. How could she be sure what he was saying wasn't induced by his trauma or the medication? Her instinct of self-preservation kicked in and she decided not to throw herself at him just because of his declaration. She had been hurt too many times to leave herself that exposed again.

"Sam, it's true. All I could think of was never seeing you again. Sometimes it takes a life-threatening event to wake you up to what it is you really want from life. And for me, Sam, that's you," Jack admitted, trying to look into her eyes.

Sam, however, was deliberately not meeting his gaze. Her heart fluttered as she listened to what he was saying. This was what she wanted also and she yearned to throw her arms around him and kiss him hungrily, but she couldn't. She shouldn't. She digested his words and tried to remain cool and aloof in the face of it all. What if he doesn't remember saying all this tomorrow? For her, it was a case of once bitten, twice shy. She still bore the emotional scars of their last attempt at a relationship. Was it worth the risk to re-open those old wounds again?

Jack, on the other hand, was relieved that he had done it. He had finally summoned the courage and told her but he felt disappointed. He hadn't received the reaction he had hoped for. Sam sat there in awkward silence, hardly looking at him. Now he was starting to regret opening his mouth at all. Maybe he had misinterpreted the situation. He had hoped that she still had feelings for him, but maybe he was mistaken. Maybe she had moved on. It wasn't as though he could blame her. She had wasted so many years on him already. Judging from her reaction, maybe that ship had sailed once and for all.

He lay back against his pillows, feeling confused and embarrassed. A sense of guilt began to gnaw away at him for having placed Samantha in such an uncomfortable position. He really needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut. Now he felt stupid and she felt ill at ease. She still hadn't spoken. It felt like the longest, most inelegant silence ever. He was considering retracting everything he had just said, when she stood up unexpectedly.

"I need coffee," she said normally, as if nothing had transpired.

Jack looked somewhat stunned at her unorthodox reaction.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked him considerately.

"Eh, no, thanks," he stammered, still puzzled by her reaction.

With that she walked out of the room, leaving Jack feeling baffled and stupid.

_You had to open your big mouth! Now look what you've done, you've scared her off. Brilliant! Why didn't you ask her to marry you and all? She'd really have jumped at that! For God's sake, Jack, will you ever manage to get it right?_

He lay back and scolded himself for making what he thought to be a fatal mistake. Had he just blown his one chance at happiness and fulfilment? Maybe everyone would have been better off if he had died out there in the forest. At least with him gone, Samantha would have had a chance at happiness without him blasting a hole in it whenever the mood took him.

_How do I fix this?_

**_A/N - enough angst?_**


	9. Chapter 9

Jack grew weary while waiting for Samantha to return so he could apologise. Due to his weakened state, he tired very easily and after a short while, he found it hard to keep his eyes open. Despite his best efforts, he succumbed to the exhaustion and fell into a restful sleep.

When he woke, he was momentarily disorientated by his surroundings. Realising where he was, he immediately turned towards the chair upon which Samantha had once sat, only to find it occupied by Danny Taylor.

"Hey, Jack," Danny said jovially. "You've been asleep for quite a while."

"I have? What time is it?" Jack asked, stealing a glance around the room to see if anyone else was present. Much to his disappointment, there wasn't.

"It's twelve thirty in the afternoon," Danny said with a smile.

"Oh," Jack replied unemotionally. He had been sleeping for over 6 hours. To him it felt like moments. Sadly, it also appeared that Samantha had never returned after his faux pas.

"Are you okay?" Danny asked, noticing Jack's uncharacteristic muted demeanour.

"What?" Jack asked, obviously distracted. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, I'm fine."

"Good," Danny replied. "How's your side?"

"Sore, but I'll live," Jack said, realising that he had to snap out of it. He was being rude to the young agent. After all, Danny was the only one now sitting by his side.

"Olcyzk called earlier," Danny told him. "He was wondering how you were."

Jack cracked a wide smile at the thought of his staunch supervisor giving a crap about him.

"Really? I didn't think he cared," Jack said, before a short cough took his breath momentarily.

"Well, sometimes you never can tell," Danny grinned devilishly.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Jack quipped, much to Danny's confusion. He let it slide.

"So, anyway, he wants me to escort Janet Danson back to New York today," Danny informed him.

"Alone?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Danny replied. "Don't worry, I'll be all right. She'll be sedated."

"What? Oh, yeah," Jack said, realising that Danny misunderstood the reason why he was asking. He was actually trying to find out if Sam was leaving also.

"Is Samantha still here?" Jack finally had to ask, as Danny had failed to mention her.

"She's gone to the motel for a shower and some sleep. She's going to stick around until they release you from here, as far as I know. The plan is that she'll drive you home when you're released," Danny told him, thinking how convenient this would be for both Jack and Sam to have some time alone together.

"Right," Jack said, not sounding as enthused as Danny had expected.

"Is everything all right?" Danny dared ask, sensing a problem.

"Honestly, I don't know," Jack replied, attempting to suppress another cough. "I think I over-stepped the mark earlier and said something I shouldn't have."

"Oh, right," Danny said, feeling uncomfortable having this sort of personal conversation with his boss.

"Did Samantha say anything?" Jack wondered.

"To me? Nothing," Danny replied adamantly.

Jack nodded, his silence leaving an awkward hush in the room. Danny was relieved when that silence was broken by the arrival of the doctor into the room.

"Agent Malone, good to see you awake. How are you feeling this afternoon?" Dr. Lee asked.

"Better thanks," Jack replied.

"Good, well I need to examine you anyway," the doctor said.

"I'll leave you for a few minutes then," Danny said, not wanting to be in the way.

The doctor checked Jack's chart before physically examining his surgical wound. He appeared happy with it. Jack was trying to hold in another cough but it escaped, and the rattle as he coughed raised the doctor's curiosity. The doctor looked at him quizzically.

"How long has that been going on?" he asked.

"Not long," Jack said, clearing his throat.

"Lean forward, please. I need to listen to your chest," Dr. Lee ordered.

Jack did as he was asked and leaned forward cautiously, careful not to hurt his side. He took deep breaths as requested before lying back against the pillows. The doctor then took his temperature.

"Well?" Jack asked.

"I can hear some crackling on your lungs and your temperature is slightly elevated," the doctor informed him. "You may have a chest infection. I'll prescribe some antibiotics and that should do the trick."

"Okay, Doc, so when do you think I can go home?" Jack asked, anxious to return to familiar surroundings.

"I was going to say that you could go home tomorrow, but we'll have to see if that chest infection improves," the doctor replied.

"I feel fine," Jack maintained, letting it be known that he wanted to get home.

"Leave it with me," Dr. Lee said diplomatically. "Today I want to see you up and about and if you're still fine after that, then we'll talk."

"Deal," Jack said with a smile.

The doctor left and Danny returned to the room, only to find Jack throwing back the bed sheets and swinging his legs to the floor.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking surprised.

"The doctor said that if I get up and about today, he might let me go home tomorrow," Jack said, putting his feet to the floor.

Danny watched as Jack put his weight on his legs and stood upright. He looked a little shaky as he reached for the drip stand for support.

"Any chance of handing me that robe?" Jack said, hoping to preserve a little of his dignity.

Danny apologised for not thinking of it and reached for the hospital issue robe that was hanging on the back of the door. He helped Jack put it on.

"So, where are you off to then?" Danny asked.

"Just along the corridor," Jack said confidently. He shuffled a little awkwardly, trying to walk and wheel the drip stand along side.

Danny was a little worried, seeing how pale and feeble Jack appeared. He couldn't help but voice his concern.

"Are you sure you should be up?" he asked hesitantly.

"The doctor said I'm fine, Danny. I want to get out of here as soon as I can," he told the young agent.

"Okay, just don't over-do it," Danny said, sticking close by in case he stumbled.

After only a short distance, Jack had to pause to catch his breath. He gulped a couple of deep breaths before a cough caught him off guard. He grimaced as the coughing motion hurt his injured abdomen. He decided after that, that it was time to return to his bed. Danny noticed the sweat dampening his brow and was relieved when he decided to return to his room.

"That should be enough for now," Jack said, inwardly relieved to get back to his bed. The short walk had drained him and left him feeling exhausted. He was trying to put his best foot forward in front of his agent but as he fell back into bed, it was clear to Danny how much the short walk had taken out of him. He was clearly feverish and looked decidedly peaky.

"Should I get the doctor back again?" Danny asked, seeing how ill Jack looked all of a sudden.

"Nah, I'm fine. Just tired," Jack lied. "I'll just close my eyes for a while."

"Okay. I'll be here when you wake," Danny said, concerned but hiding it well.

Jack pulled the bed sheets right up around him and closed his eyes. It wasn't long before he was sleeping heavily. Danny left and returned with a newspaper and a coffee and waited while his boss slept. A few hours later, he was disturbed by Jack moaning and muttering. He was obviously dreaming. He seemed distressed, yet asleep. Danny stood up and attempted to rouse Jack but he was frightened when he touched his forehead. Jack was burning up.

Danny pressed the call button at the side of Jack's bed and summoned the nurse. The nurse arrived in a couple of minutes.

"What can I get for you, Mr. Malone?" she asked cheerily as she entered.

"He's burning up," Danny told her, standing fretfully at his friend's side.

The nurse immediately reached for the thermometer, placed it in Jack's ear and checked his temperature. He started to wake as she did so.

"One hundred and three," the nurse commented. "I'll be right back."

She left Danny feeling helpless, knowing Jack was pretty sick.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, sounding groggy, his head thumping.

"You've got a very high temperature," Danny informed him.

"Really?" Jack asked. "That would explain how lousy I feel."

It wasn't long before the nurse returned flanked by Dr. Lee. The doctor read her notes on the chart and examined Jack. He listened to his chest again.

"Okay," the doctor said eventually. "I'll going to need a chest x-ray to confirm but you may have pneumonia."

"Pneumonia? Is that serious?" Danny asked while Jack lay back, feeling too ill to care.

"It depends whether it's viral or bacterial. We'll run some tests," Dr. Lee informed him. "Let's get that temp down and take it from there," he said to the nurse.

Danny looked at Jack. His eyes were glazed and a film of perspiration covered his face. A damp patch was evident around the neck and chest area of the gown he wore. How could he be fine only a few hours ago and so ill now? He looked at his watch. He was due to leave for New York with Janet Danson in another hour. He was reluctant to leave Jack alone in the condition he was in but he knew he was expected to be back with the prisoner. He had to call Samantha.

"Sam, it's me," he said when she answered her cell.

"Danny," she said as she recognised the voice. "How's Jack?"

"They think he might have pneumonia. He has a fever and shortness of breath. I have to pick Janet Danson up from Hardwick soon. Can you come to the hospital?" Danny asked.

"I'll be right there," Sam replied. Sam hung up, grabbed her bag and hurried to the car. She had tried to sleep for a few hours but found herself lying there considering what Jack had said to her earlier. He's feverish, she thought, so it must have been the fever talking. Suddenly, she felt disappointed.

_**A/N - sorry for the delay in posting. Will try and do better!**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Sorry for the dealy in getting this one up. Some technical difficulties :-)**_

**Chapter 10**

Sam spared no time getting to the hospital. She was breathless by the time she reached Jack's room.

"Hey," she said to Danny as she entered. "How is he?"

"He's sleeping again," Danny said, not at all surprised that Sam had got there so quickly. "He's just back from x-ray and it confirmed pneumonia."

"Okay, so what now?" Sam asked, trying not to be overly concerned but deep down fearful.

"It's treatable with antibiotics. He's just going to feel pretty lousy for a while," Danny explained. "I'm sorry to have to leave you like this, but you know Olzcyk, when he says today, he means today."

"I know," Sam replied. "Don't worry, I'll let you know how he is later."

"Thanks," Danny said gratefully.

"And Danny," Sam said, as he was about to leave the room. "Don't let Janet get too attached, eh?"

Danny laughed at Sam's sarcasm and glanced briefly at Jack, a stark reminder of what happens when Janet Danson gets attached, before finally leaving the room.

Alone at last, Sam quietly approached Jack's bed. She stood watching him as he wheezed and gasped in his fever. She placed a comforting hand on his brow and was surprised by the ferocity of his fever. She hated seeing him like this. It gave her some comfort just to be by his side.

Her thoughts returned to the extraordinary conversation they had after he had woken first thing that morning, although it could hardly be called a conversation- more like an confession. How she wished that what he had said were true. It was apparent to her now that Jack hadn't been thinking straight and was under the influence of a cocktail of medication and delirium. She sat back with a despondent sigh, her hopes dashed once more.

As she waited, her cell phone rang. It was Vivian. Not wanting to disturb Jack, Sam decided to take the call in the hallway.

"Hi, Viv," she said, her voice giving away her downcast mood.

"Is everything all right, Sam?" Viv asked, recognising her despondent tone.

"Yes, sorry. It's just Jack. He's …..," she struggled to find the words.

"I know," Viv said, filling the silence. "Danny called. He told me about the pneumonia."

"I know. Poor Jack. He's really been through the mill," Sam said.

"Just wanted to let you know that I took a call from Maria Malone this morning. Olczyk had called her when he heard Jack was hurt. She was worried, wondering how he was," Vivian told her.

"What did you tell her?" Sam replied awkwardly.

"Everything I knew. She was looking for a number to call him so their girls could speak to him," Viv explained.

"Right," Sam said rather muted. "He's not really up to it at the moment," Sam told her. "I could get him to call her when he's feeling better."

"Of course, I understand," Viv said. "Tell him we're all thinking about him and that he's to get well soon."

"I will, Viv," Sam replied.

"And Samantha," Viv said. "Try not to worry. He's going to be fine."

"I know. Thanks, Vivian," Sam said, hanging up the phone.

She immediately returned to Jack's room and resumed her vigil by his bedside. She watched as every now and again his entire body was consumed by a shudder, a symptom of the fever. She frequently dabbed his brow with a damp cloth to try and bring his fever down. The nurse had earlier connected Jack to an IV saline drip to keep him hydrated. It also made it easier to administer larger doses of the necessary antibiotics.

For all of that evening and late into that same night, Jack remained in a restless, fever-ridden sleep. It seemed endless for Samantha, sitting, watching him in his battle against the illness. As the hour grew late, she tried to make herself comfortable in the chair in which she had spent the previous night. As she twisted and moved about on the chair, she heard Jack cough and immediately looked across at him. She noticed his chocolate brown eyes were watching her. His eyes looked so glazed that she wasn't sure if he could actually see her. She stood up and walked over to him. She smiled down and placed the palm of her hand tenderly on his flushed cheek.

"Welcome back," she said softly.

"You're here," he said, drawing a deep breath.

"Of course I'm here," Sam said, a little perplexed by what he had said. Jack coughed and hacked and Sam cringed, hearing the rattle in his chest.

"Sorry," Jack said, once he had regained control of his breathing.

"Don't talk, Jack," Sam said out of concern. "You need to rest and let the meds do their work. We can talk when you feel better."

Jack looked up at her, so grateful that she was there. His chest ached. He could not remember ever having felt this awful in his entire life. He barely had the strength to hold his head up. He reached out his hand and Samantha placed hers in his. Gently he held it, finding solace in her touch. He closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Sam continued to hold his hand until she was sure he was asleep. Then she decided to try and get some rest herself. She sat back onto the armchair, curled her legs up under her and got as comfortable as she possibly could. Eventually she nodded off.

She was disturbed during the night by some activity in the room a few hours later. She opened her eyes to find a nurse and an on-call doctor standing over Jack. She stood up to see what they were doing and found them putting and oxygen mask over Jack's nose and mouth.

Sounding desperate, Sam asked, "What's happening? Is he okay?"

"His SATs have dropped lower than we'd like, so we've decided to put him on a nebuliser for a while. Hopefully it will help open his airways and make it a bit easier for him to breathe," the nurse told her.

Sam watched intently as they raised Jack into a more elevated position. She hadn't realised that he was awake until she noticed his glassy eyes peering over the mask. His frightened gaze met hers as he wheezed and tried to inhale the gaseous mix.

"Try and breathe normally, Mr. Malone," the doctor said. Jack nodded, deliberately slowing his breathing. "We'll leave you on this for thirty minutes, then check and see if there's any improvement."

"Thanks, Doctor," Sam said, on Jack's behalf.

Once the doctor and nurse left, Sam drew closer to Jack. She could tell he was worried and wanted so very much to reassure him. He was desperately struggling for breath and feared that he was dying. Maybe he was. Maybe they weren't telling him something. He tried to read Sam's expression. Her eyes told him that she was scared too. He inhaled and exhaled steadily, keeping his eyes locked on hers. The hissing of the nebuliser was the only audible sound. Finally she spoke. Immediately he felt better, her voice soothing his anxiety.

"You're going to be okay, Jack," she said, coming even closer to him.

Jack raised his hand to remove the mask from his mouth so he could speak, but Sam stopped him immediately.

"No, Jack," she said. "Keep it on. You need to give it time to work," she insisted. "Whatever it is, it can wait."

Jack lay back and took as deep a breath as his aching chest allowed. He could feel the freeing effect of the nebuliser starting to work already. Sam placed her hand on his and gently squeezed it. Jack turned his head towards her and was met by her most heartening smile. His heart leapt in his chest. How could he love this woman so unreservedly and yet not be spending his life with her? It was just wrong. Surely when fate draws two people together, it's supposed to work out. That's what fate is, right? So why do they keep messing it up, he wondered.

_Maybe it's not too late. She's still here and __I'm still alive. Life is too short. If I make it through today, I'm going to make it right. In sickness and in health, right?_

**_TBC_**


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N - apologies for how slow the chapters are coming. Lots of stuff going on Chez Moi at the moment. Will try and speed it up._**

Chapter 11

Sam remained at Jack's side the whole night. Once he had come off the nebuliser, he could feel a significant improvement. It didn't hurt as much to breathe as it had earlier and the wheezing had lessened. Samantha had noticed this also and felt hugely relieved. However, Jack remained extremely tired and weak. However much he struggled to remain awake and talk to Samantha, it became too much for him. Eventually he fell back asleep, still sitting up in the bed. Samantha found that she was unable to get to sleep, despite her own exhaustion. Thoughts and scenarios buzzed through her head, keeping her mind alert and awake.

She tried to decide what she wanted from the man who lay before her. They had experienced so many ups and downs together. She wasn't sure she wanted to go through it all again. If what he said was true, could they really be together? Her head told her no. Nothing had changed much since their last attempt at a relationship and that had ended in broken hearts and broken promises.

She looked at Jack sleeping peacefully at last. She sat there like a love-struck teenager with a crush on the quarterback, her heart all a quiver. Why was she so irrefutably attracted to him, she wondered, especially when all that had come of her feelings for him was a whole lot of hurt. Even now, after so many years of convincing herself that she was better off without him, she still wanted him. Her mind was all a muddle and she felt like she needed to clear her head. She wanted to gain perspective on everything that had happened over the last few days. Maybe it was just the fact that he was ill that was making her feel like she had a responsibility towards him. Maybe it was some feeling of loyalty that she was confusing with feelings of love. She decided to leave him sleeping there and to take a walk in the early morning freshness.

As she emerged from the sterility of the hospital, she drew in a cleansing breath of fresh, crisp air. Morning dew glistened on the grass as she strolled aimlessly through the hospital grounds. She pulled her jacket tightly around her, feeling the chill in the breeze. She wandered for a while before sitting on a bench close to the hospital gate. She watched as the sun rose steadily on the horizon and opened her mind in an attempt to make sense of her feelings.

She had already decided that she and Jack needed to talk about what he had said to her after he had first woken. But she also needed to be clear on where she stood if it turned out that he still felt the same way. Her biggest quandary was whether she should follow her heart or her head. Her head insisted 'no' but her heart screamed 'yes.'

She remained outside for over an hour without realising it. The growling of her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten in a long while, so she returned inside to see if the cafeteria was open yet. To her relief it was, so she ordered breakfast.

While she was having breakfast, Jack woke and was disappointed to find that Sam had left. He wondered how long she was gone and whether she would be coming back. He squirmed in the bed in an effort to get more comfortable. His headache had abated and the pain in his chest had lessened significantly. He was definitely on the road to recovery, although he felt as weak as a kitten. He was relieved, however, to be able to take a deep breath without that heavy, suffocating feeling consuming him. He sat there, watching the door, waiting for Samantha to return. He wanted, so desperately, to explain his feelings. He waited patiently for what felt like an age. In fact, it was only thirty minutes. Sitting there, his eyes grew heavy and he allowed them to close briefly. He opened them immediately when he heard the door of the room open.

"Hey, you're back," he said, eagerly straightening up, his smile showing his delight.

"Hey, yourself. I wasn't expecting you to be awake yet," Sam said, approaching the bed. "How are you feeling now?"

"Better," he said truthfully.

"Good," Sam replied. "You had me worried there for a while."

"You don't have to worry about me," Jack told her.

"I can't help it," Sam replied. "An old habit I guess."

"Sam, can we talk?" Jack asked seriously, not wanting to waste any time on small talk.

"Of course," Sam replied tentatively, sensing something strange in the air.

"It's about what I said earlier," Jack informed her. "I didn't mean to come on so strong. It's just, that after what happened, I've realised how precious life is. I don't want to waste any more of mine."

Sam looked at him, wondering where this was going.

"I know I've treated you badly in the past, Sam. I didn't know what I wanted or maybe I just wanted the best of both worlds, but I realise now that to be happy, I have to make a decision. I know this is coming from left field but I love you, Sam, always have. I want to make it work," Jack told her, opening up his heart entirely.

Sam gawped and unconsciously took a step back as she listened to Jack's words. Jack's face was solemn and serious. He certainly looked like he meant it, she thought. Inside, she knew she felt the same way, but in typical female fashion, she decided not to just melt at his words. She remained silent for a while, but she could feel Jack's eyes boring into her. She did her best to stay in control and play it cool. Eventually she allowed her gaze to meet his.

"I don't know what to say," Sam admitted candidly. "I mean, that's pretty unexpected, Jack."

"I know, Sam. It must seem so sudden, especially since I was the one to end things between us, but I was a fool, Sam," Jack declared. "I never stopped loving you, you know that. My priorities were totally screwed up, but I realise now that I was wrong. I can change, Sam. I can make this work for us," he promised enthusiastically, before a cough interrupted his monologue.

Samantha reached for the glass of water on the bedside table. She put it to his lips, smiling at the seriousness of his facial expression as she did so. He was taking a deep breath to continue when she stopped him.

"Ssshh," she said, placing her index finger on his moist lips. "It's okay. I do understand, Jack. I just need some time to get my head straight. I need to know how you plan to make it work, Jack. Words are fine, but so far words have only let me down."

Jack hung his head in shame. He knew she was right. He felt guilty for hurting her in the past and, now, for springing this on her. What must she think of him?

"I'll put in a call to Olczyk in the morning and tender my resignation," Jack announced without hesitation, much to Samantha's shock.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jack. You can't live without this job. You'd be miserable. I don't want to be responsible for making you miserable," Sam said, setting him straight. "As you've so often said, it's complicated."

Jack didn't respond. He knew she was right. Jack Malone and the FBI were inter-dependent. Neither would function satisfactorily without the other. Missing Person's was in his blood. Sam recognised this but Jack was pained to admit it. All he wanted was to prove to her that he would do anything to win her back. Then what he blurted out next even took him by surprise.

"Marry me," he said out of the blue.

Samantha's jaw dropped, as it was the last thing she had expected to hear from him.

"Excuse me?" she said, sounding slightly insulted.

"I said, marry me," Jack repeated, this time saying it with conviction.

"I, eh, Jack …. I, eh, don't know what to say," Sam stammered, her cheeks reddening.

"You could say yes," Jack suggested hopefully.

Sam shook her head. Her mind was filling with possibilities and probabilities. In another situation, at another time, she would jump at his proposal, but this just felt wrong. The timing was really wrong. She couldn't answer him. She was literally speechless, but she was mindful not to hurt him either. She took a step closer to him and reached for his hand. Jack could read her expression. It wasn't that of a woman who was overjoyed at a marriage proposal.

"I'm sorry, Jack. We can talk about this when you're feeling better, when we get back to New York," Sam said, placing an affectionate kiss on his forehead and turning to leave.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked, as she walked away.

"I need some time, Jack. I need to get things straight in my head. I hope you can understand that," Sam said ruefully.

Jack nodded his head as she disappeared, then lay back heavily into his pillows. He ran his hand through his hair and considered his actions.

_Nice one, Jack! Marry me? Seriously, could you have put her under any more pressure? Well, I guess it's out there now. __Lets see what she does with it. I just hope I haven't blown our friendship.  
_

_**A/N - Couldn't resist throwing another spanner in the works for our heroes. So advise me - to be or not to be, that is the question!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/N - This is the final chapter. Hope you like it. _**

Chapter 12

For the rest of that afternoon, Jack sat in his hospital bed rueing ever opening his big mouth. He hoped that he hadn't blown his chances of happiness with Samantha for good. He dozed on and off, despite his best efforts to remain awake, as his body craved the rest it needed to recover. His only visitor during the afternoon and evening was the mild-mannered nurse who checked on him regularly. By late evening, Samantha still hadn't returned. Jack feared the worst. He chastised himself for screwing up the best thing that he had going in his life. He feared that the longer Sam was gone, the greater the chance that she would not be returning at all.

As night descended, Jack hit a low, resigning himself to the fact that he really had frightened her off. He could have done with a friend about now but felt very alone, not for the first time. He tried to sleep that night but found himself staring up at the ceiling more times than he could count. The same thoughts played on his mind the whole night. He would make this right, he had to.

Meanwhile, Samantha was going through a similar tortured scene in her motel room. She sat on the bed and pondered, as tears of frustration trickled down her cheeks. Why was it always so complicated? Jack had just proposed to her. It was what she had always wanted, at least she thought she did. Now her mind spun as she tried to decide what she should do. There was no doubt in her mind that she still loved the man, despite his shortcomings. She craved a life with him. She longed for an open relationship where they didn't have to hide their feelings. He was the man for her and she believed that she was the woman for him. Life kept throwing obstacles in their way, but she was beginning to realise that obstacles could be removed. As the saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way."

The will was there. She knew if she thought hard enough, she would find the way. So she spent the night soul-searching, hoping for an epiphany. She prayed for guidance, recognizing that this decision would be life changing, regardless of what she decided.

The next morning, Samantha arrived at the hospital early. She hurried to Jack's room, pausing briefly in the hallway to fix her hair. She opened the door and stood, looking aghast when all she saw a nurse changing the sheets on Jack's bed. Jack was nowhere to be seen. The nurse obviously noticed the look of panic on Sam's face and spoke to her.

"He's just in the bathroom," she smiled kindly. "I'm just fixing up his bed for him."

Sam released a huge sigh of relief. For a terrifying moment, she thought something dreadful had happened to Jack during the night. She stepped though the door, relaxing as she did so.

"Thanks," she said to the nurse, feeling a little embarrassed.

She walked over to the window and stood looking out, waiting for Jack to appear. She turned as the door of the bathroom opened and Jack shuffled stiffly towards the bed.

"Ah, that's better," Jack quipped to the nurse as he emerged.

"You have a visitor, Mr. Malone," the nurse said with a wink. "I'll call around later to check on you," she promised before leaving the room.

Upon hearing that he had a visitor, Jack turned and almost couldn't believe his eyes. She had come back. He wanted to rush over to her and hug her, but this time he controlled his emotions.

"Hey," he said, in typical fashion. Clutching his injured side, he edged his way back onto the bed.

"You got the drip out," Sam said, having noticed as he returned from the bathroom.

"Yeah, and they said I can have Jell-O today," Jack smiled.

"Yum," Sam replied sarcastically.

Almost as quickly as it had started, the conversation stopped. Jack didn't know what to say. He was almost afraid to open his mouth because of all the trouble it had landed him in over the last two days.

Sam felt just as tongue-tied. She had so much to say, but where would she start? Okay, bull by the horns time, she thought.

"Right, I don't have the details worked out yet, but here's what's going to happen," she started confidently. "Firstly, you are going to get better and I'm going to drive you home…..to my place…..at least until you're back on your feet. While we're together, we are going to decide how to make this work."

Jack looked at her, a stunned expression plastered on his face, his mouth open.

"Now, it will have to be a two-way street," Sam continued. "I will have to make some sacrifices, but so will you. Specifics can be decided as we go along. The fact of the matter is that I love you, Jack Malone, and I want to be with you," she declared, stepping closer to his bed.

Jack's stunned expression transformed and a massive smile spread from ear to ear. He sure hoped this wasn't a dream, as Samantha neared him, leaned over him and placed the most passionate, lustful kiss on his lips. As she withdrew from the kiss, Jack savoured the moment before suddenly pinching her on her forearm.

"Ow, what was that for?" Sam asked in surprise, as she rubbed her arm.

"Just checking you were real," Jack replied with a chuckle.

"I'm very real, Agent Malone, so you'd better hurry up and get well real soon because I have plans for you," she said seductively.

"I feel fine right now," Jack replied, referring to the stirring in his loins.

"I don't think the nurse would appreciate us undoing her fine work," Sam laughed, referring to the neatness of the bed.

"I don't think she'd mind," Jack replied, reaching for Sam's hand and trying to pull her towards him.

"Ah, ah!" Sam said, slapping his hand away. "You need to rest and get well. There'll be plenty of time for that when you get back on your feet."

Jack had no choice but to do as he was told. If the truth be told, he still felt weak and had little in the way of stamina. He had aches and pains from head to toe. He doubted if he could rise to the challenge, so to speak. To his delight, however, Samantha sidled up beside him on the bed and put her arm around him. He rested his head against her shoulder and allowed himself to float away on her floral scent. This was surely the best medicine.

The two lovers sat together, comfortable with their intimacy, no longer afraid of being discovered as a couple. They contently discussed the prospect of exploring a life together. Despite their conversing, neither of them mentioned Jack's proposal, sensing that neither one was relaxed enough to broach that subject. It was definitely a time for baby steps. Jack had to agree with what Samantha had said. There was no point in rushing anything. They had time. Jack would be laid up for at least a few weeks, so they would have ample time to work on it. They had to get it right this time, he knew it and she knew it. But somehow they could tell it was going to be fine. For the first time everything seemed clear.

Jack closed his eyes, relaxed in the knowledge that he was no longer alone. He had something to live for after all. He had her.

THE END

_**A/N - Hope the ending isn't too sudden for you. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks to all who reviewed and of course to my Beta, Diane.**_


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